Negational Categorization and Intergroup Behavior
Abstract
Individuals define themselves, at times, as who they are (e.g., a psychologist) and, at other times, as who they are not (e.g., not an economist). Drawing on social identity, optimal distinctiveness, and balance theories, four studies examined the nature of negational identity relative to affirmational identity. One study explored the conditions that increase negational identification and found that activating the need for distinctiveness increased the accessibility of negational identities. Three additional studies revealed that negational categorization increased outgroup derogation relative to affirmational categorization and the authors argue that this effect is at least partially due to a focus on contrasting the self from the outgroup under negational categorization. Consistent with this argument, outgroup derogation following negational categorization was mitigated when connections to similar others were highlighted. By distinguishing negational identity from affirmational identity, a more complete picture of collective identity and intergroup behavior can start to emerge.
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Negative political identities can exert strong independent effects on political behaviour.
“and can exert strong independent effects on political behaviour.”
From Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil (2022) · cites this paper as Zhong et al. 2008
Negative political identities emerge independently out of a strong rejection of the opposing side's party or political figurehead.
“Negative political identities emerge independently out of a strong rejection of the opposing side's party or political figurehead”
From Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil (2022) · cites this paper as Zhong et al. 2008
Individuals can define themselves negationally, in terms of who they are not, even if no prior in-group identification is present.
“Zhong et al. (2008), however, argue that individuals can also define themselves negationally, in terms of who they are not, even if no prior in-group identification is present.”
From Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil (2022) · cites this paper as Zhong et al. 2008
Negative identities can emerge out of an independent and primary sense of differentiation from an out-group in the absence of in-group belonging.
“In the absence of in-group belonging, however, negative identities can emerge out of an independent and primary sense of differentiation from an out-group.”
From Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil (2022) · cites this paper as Zhong et al. 2008
Negative identities have a higher effect than positive ones in fostering negative feelings towards individuals associated with the out-group label.
“Zhong et al. (2008) find that negative identities have a higher effect than positive ones in fostering negative feelings towards individuals associated with the out-group label.”
From Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil (2022) · cites this paper as Zhong et al. 2008
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Cites
Who is this "We"? Levels of collective identity and self representations.
Brewer, M. B., & Gardner, W. (1996) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.71.1.83 · Cited by 3,401 · see citing works
China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia
Perdue, P. C. (2005) · doi:10.4159/9780674042025 · Cited by 596 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
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Optimal Distinctiveness Theory
Leonardelli, G. J., Pickett, C. L., & Brewer, M. B. (2010) · Advances in Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(10)43002-6 · Cited by 374 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Politics of Beauty: The Effects of Partisan Bias on Physical Attractiveness
Nicholson, S. P., Coe, C. M., Emory, J., & Song, A. V. (2016) · Political Behavior · doi:10.1007/s11109-016-9339-7 · Cited by 210 · see citing works
Them’ without ‘us’: Negative identities and affective polarization in Brazil
Areal, J. (2022) · Political Research Exchange · doi:10.1080/2474736x.2022.2117635 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
- Authors
- Zhong, C.-B., Phillips, K. W., Leonardelli, G. J., & Galinsky, A. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Northwestern University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zhong, Chen-Bo
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-03-14
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 793-806
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2050715718
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Power and Status Dynamics
- Keywords
- intergroup behavior, outgroup derogation, social identity, balance theory, self-categorization, collective identity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Group Processes, Humans, Individuality, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Models, Psychological, Personality, Personality Inventory, Prejudice, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self-Assessment, Self Concept, Psychological Distance, Social Identification
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